Road Trip
by sasha1600
Summary: Tim and Abby’s daughter Katie does something her father doesn’t expect. Set in the ‘Future Perfect’ universe.
1. Chapter 1

**Road Trip**

**Summary: **Tim and Abby's daughter Katie does something her father doesn't expect. Set in the 'Future Perfect' universe.

**Disclaimer:** Katie and Leigh are mine; the rest belong to other people.

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A/N: This takes place in the 'Future Perfect' universe, which features Caitlyn and Leigh, the twin daughters of Tim and Abby.

* * *

Abby's phone rang. She glanced at the display, smiled, and answered cheerfully.

'Hey, Kate! What's new in Boston?'

'MIT's in Cambridge, Mama...'

'Whatever. How are you?'

'Great! You know that Aztec Warriors concert I wanted to see, that was sold out here? Well Josie and Beth and I were able to get tickets after all... to see the show in Montreal. So we're gonna be taking the bus up there tomorrow afternoon – I just wanted to let you know because I'm not sure my phone works in Canada.'

'That's great, honey! I love Montreal. Send me and your dad an email with the hotel's information, ok? Just in case....'

'Mama, you are such a helicopter parent!'

'Caitlyn Jennifer, your father has a dangerous job and your sister is in the military so I need to be able to...'

'Leigh's at _Annapolis_, Mama. She's not in a war zone!'

'Rule #3, young lady... Never be...'

'Unreachable. I know.'

'Ok, then. Send us the ho...'

'We're staying with Josie's family. Remember I told you she's from...'

'Oh, right! The Canadian...'

'Actually, she prefers Quebecoise, Mama... she's a separatist.'

'Just send us the phone number, ok, Katie?'

'Sure, Mama... I'll get it from Josie. I've got class in ten minutes, Mama, so I've got to go. Say hi to Daddy for me. Bye!'

X X X

'You're home late. I thought you were almost done when I left?'

'Yeah. I ended up having to deal with the FBI's dumbest agent. I never thought I'd miss Fornell.'

Abby chuckled.

'Katie called. She just got back to campus.'

'How was the trip?'

'It was good. She had fun, and she's thinking about applying to grad school at McGill.'

'Great...' Tim grumbled. Abby smacked him on the arm.

'There's nothing wrong with Montreal. You're just still bitter about that time in Sherbrooke....'

'Abby, you weren't there, you didn't have to deal with that bunch of pissed-off Mounties! _In French_!'

'Well, you were trying to capture an arms dealer in their country, without telling them...'

'He was an _arms dealer!_ It's not like they _wanted_ him in their country! And we weren't trying to kidnap a _Canadian_ or anything...'

'Do you want to hear about your daughter's weekend or not?' Abby interrupted him, knowing he'd go on for hours if she let him.

'Of course I do.'

'Ok. So the concert was apparently good, and afterwards they...'

X X X

'Hi, Daddy!'

'You were _drinking_?'

'Yeah, I told Mama...'

'YOU WERE _DRINKING_?! KATIE, YOU ARE ONLY TWENTY!'

'And the legal drinking age in Quebec is eighteen.'

'SO YOU WENT TO MONTREAL FOR THE WEEKEND SO YOU COULD _DRINK_?!'

'Daddy, I had _one_ beer, that I didn't even finish. It was _legal_. And nobody who had _any_ alcohol was driving. What's the problem?'

'THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU WERE DRINKING!'

'You know, Mama wasn't mad at me. She just warned me that I won't like American beer, after starting with the Canadian stuff!'

'KATIE...'

'Daddy, you are being crazy. I'm going to go back to my aerodynamics homework now. Bye.'

'KATIE, DON'T YOU... She hung up on me!'

'D'ya blame her?'


	2. Chapter 2

'She was _drinking_, Gibbs! _Katie_! Leigh, I would expect this from. But, Katie?'

Gibbs sighed and put down his sandpaper.

'Tim, do you want my advice on how to deal with this?'

'Yes!'

'Get over it.'

Tim looked at him in astonishment.

'Wuh?'

'If anything, you should be proud of her for drinking _responsibly_. Half the college kids in this country have fake IDs and are playing beer pong and doing jello shooters. She had half a beer, and didn't even break any laws doing it. Six months from now she can drink anywhere she likes; isn't this exactly the way you want her to treat alcohol?'

'But she's underage...'

'Not in Montreal, she isn't. You think there's some magic switch that gets flipped when a kid turns 21? I'd say she did a pretty good job of proving she's mature enough to have a beer with her friends. So... get over it. She's a good kid, doing exactly what you raised her to do.'

'But...'

'But, nothing, Tim. Get. Over. It. You make a big deal about this, and she's not going to come to you with the important stuff.'

Tim finally stopped pacing around the basement and turned towards his former boss, a stunned look on his face.

'Katie was always the quiet, obedient one, Gibbs. What happened to my sweet little girl?'

'She grew up, Tim. She'll always be your little girl, but she's not a child anymore. In a year and a half, she'll be in grad school, on her way to a Ph.D., and Leigh will be an officer in the United States Navy. Hell, Kate just spent a weekend in a whole other country by herself. And you're upset because she had a drink?!'

'But...'

Gibbs handed him some sandpaper and pointed him towards the hand-carved cedar chest he was working on. It was the first of a pair that Gibbs planned to make for the twins' twenty-first birthday, having decided on something that would be practical even for Leigh, whose chosen career would mean small quarters and frequent moves.

'Get over it. And get to work.'

For the first time, Tim returned his smile.

'Yes, Boss...'

X X X

Kate sighed, flipping open her phone.

'Hi, Uncle Gibbs. Are you calling to yell at me, too? Because if you are...'

'Nope.'

'Really?!'

'Yes, really. I just want you to promise me one thing.'

'What's that?' she asked warily.

'That you'll let me buy you your first bourbon.'


End file.
